What happens at a skin biopsy?
Last updated September 3, 2026.
The spot is numbed with an injection - the only painful moment - then a small sample is removed by shave, punch, or excision. Shave removes surface layers, punch cores a deeper round sample, and excision removes the whole spot. Larger samples get a stitch or two; the lab returns results within days to a couple of weeks.
What to do
- Point out every spot that worries you. New, changing, bleeding, or non-healing spots all deserve the look.
- Follow the wound care exactly. Keep it clean and bandaged as directed until healed.
- Watch for infection. Spreading redness, warmth, pus, or fever earns a call.
- Follow up on the result. Benign ends the story; anything else starts a defined removal or monitoring plan.
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